1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to aircraft jettisoning means and has specific reference to improvements in or relating to device for automatically and releasably hanging or suspending and wedging up loads to be carried under aircrafts.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,854,680 and 3,854,681 of Dec. 17, 1974 and 3,954,233 of May 4, 1976 of the same Applicants disclose devices for wedging loads suspended from the understructure of aircraft by means of spring biased wedges. In the U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,233 (FIG. 5) load oscillation about a horizontal longitudinal axis is prevented by ball-and-socket bearings reacting under the control of wedge members against a horizontal plane consisting of the top surface of bridge members rigid with the load, on either side of the median vertical plane of the load. Notwithstanding the considerable friction developed by the bearing pressure exerted by the ball-sockets on the top surface of the bridge members, the load is not positively prevented from slipping transversely on these bearings under the bias of transverse aerodynamic or inertia forces, within the limits allowed by the plays existing in the suspension and centering members.